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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Kinzinger: Veterans are heroes, not Cloonen's political tools

KANKAKEE, IL - Congressman Adam Kinzinger entered a fray going on between two Illinois House candidates this week. Joined by Glenn Nixon, Kinzinger blasted Democratic House candidate Kate Cloonen and the Illinois Democratic Party Wednesday for their attempts to distort Nixon’s record on veteran’s funding as a Kankakee County Board member.

"If the Democrats aren't scaring seniors, its veterans," stated Kinzinger, and added, ""Veterans are heroes, not Kate Cloonen's political tools. To imply that our veterans were mistreated by a member of the county board is shameful, and a disservice to those who have given so much. I'm sure if Ms. Cloonen took a trip through Walter Reed, as I have done, and talked to those who are in pain but desperate to return to their comrades in arms, she would feel the same amount of shame that I feel for her."

Glenn Nixon used Wednesday's press conference as an opportunity to address the ridiculousness of Cloonen's charges.

“The fact is that the Kankakee County Veterans Assistance Commission is fully funded and carries nearly two years of operating expenses in cash reserves," stated Glenn Nixon. “These claims are flat out wrong but it's no wonder why Madigan and Cloonen are baffled over what "surpluses" actually mean, given Democrat's one party rule has left Illinois with massive deficits year after year."

A simple review of the Kankakee County Veterans Assistance Commission's budget would show, not only a fully funded budget but the VAC's ability to build up their cash reserves over the years - a 33.6% increase in their cash reserves from FY 09 to FY 11.

* FY '09: Surplus of $46,243 leaving a fund balance of $356,487;* FY '10: Surplus of $66,770 leaving a fund balance of $423,257 or an 18.7% increase in their reserves account;* FY '11: Surplus of $50,218 leaving a fund balance of $473,476 or a 12.6% increase in their reserves account from the previous fiscal year.

Kate Cloonen is distorting Nixon's record and distracting voters from asking about her views of repealing the Quinn-Madigan 67 percent income tax, halting Springfield's deficit spending or retaining Michael Madigan as Speaker of the House. If she didn't resort to these baseless, negative attacks, she'd have to admit that her views align more with Michael Madigan than they do with district voters.

"Kate Cloonen's attacks on Glenn Nixon claiming he doesn't care about veterans are not the hallmark of someone who would make a good state representative or someone who will stand up against Chicago Democrats. This area sent me to Congress nearly two years ago to shake up Washington. Now, I urge them to support Glenn Nixon to do the same thing in Springfield."

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Kinzinger: Veterans are heroes, not Cloonen's political tools

KANKAKEE, IL - Congressman Adam Kinzinger entered a fray going on between two Illinois House candidates this week. Joined by Glenn Nixon, Kinzinger blasted Democratic House candidate Kate Cloonen and the Illinois Democratic Party Wednesday for their attempts to distort Nixon’s record on veteran’s funding as a Kankakee County Board member.

"If the Democrats aren't scaring seniors, its veterans," stated Kinzinger, and added, ""Veterans are heroes, not Kate Cloonen's political tools. To imply that our veterans were mistreated by a member of the county board is shameful, and a disservice to those who have given so much. I'm sure if Ms. Cloonen took a trip through Walter Reed, as I have done, and talked to those who are in pain but desperate to return to their comrades in arms, she would feel the same amount of shame that I feel for her."